In the Sanctuary
H. Hoeksema
Chapter 7
The Prayer for Bread

The fourth petition, the prayer for daily bread, appears to be so earthly in its contents that all men without distinction may take it on their lips. It would seem to require no special spirituality to send this request to the throne of our Father in heaven. Here is a prayer that touches a deeply felt need of every man and woman on earth, and surely even the natural man can pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." Thus many think, but they are very much in error.

Rooted in the same erroneous conception of the content of this fourth petition is the opinion of some over-spiritual Christians that in this prayer we have no request for material bread at all, but that the Lord teaches us here to pray for spiritual nourishment, for the bread that came down from heaven. From the lofty heights of their would-be spirituality, these people judge that it would be below the high level of this perfect model of prayer to insert a request for mere bread, for earthly necessities. They argue further that if this were the meaning of the fourth petition, it would stand in flat contradiction to all that the Lord teaches us elsewhere concerning our attitude towards earthly things. For He admonishes us that we shall not ask, "What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal shall we be clothed?" All these things do the Gentiles seek, not the citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Besides, our heavenly Father knows that we need these things. We must therefore seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and for the rest simply trust that all these things shall be added unto us. (Matthew 6:26ff.) How, then, could it be possible that the same Lord would insert a prayer for these very things in the series of petitions which He teaches us to pray?

We will not take the time to enervate these arguments and refute them. The simple words of the petition, its exact position in the series of prayers we are taught to pray, as well as the reminder that we are still on the earth and not yet in heaven -- all this ought to be sufficient to convince anyone that we do, indeed, have a request for daily, earthly, material bread in this fourth petition. But we do wish to emphasize, in opposition to both views mentioned above, that, even though we deal here with a prayer for very tangible bread, the petition is nevertheless very deeply spiritual. This is not a common petition, which any man can pray. The natural, unregenerated man certainly is not able to make it his own. All the manifestations of greed and covetousness, the strife after the things of this world and always more of them, the constant and bitter fight between the haves and the have-nots, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- all these constitute a striking contrast to the simple request in this fourth petition.

But even for the believer it is not always easy to utter this petition in spirit and in truth without reservation. We do not usually live on the high spiritual level that is required to take this petition on our lips and mean it. And the end also of the present meditation on the Lord's Prayer will have to be an acknowledgement on our part that we still have much to learn and that we will have to assume an attitude of constant watchfulness in prayer to be able to say, "Give us this day our daily bread."

Let me call your attention, first of all, to the fact that this petition occupies a secondary place in the Lord's Prayer. In the second section of this model, which is concerned with our own needs, it has a leading place, on the basis of the principle that the natural is first, even though it is not most important, while the spiritual is second in order. In the order of time, we need bread even before we need the forgiveness of sins and the deliverance from evil; and as soon as we need bread no more, we shall have no more need for forgiveness and deliverance. But although it occupies the first place in this second section, we must not overlook the fact that together with the whole of this second part of the Lord's Prayer, it is strictly subordinate to the first part, in which we are instructed to ask for the glory of God's name, the coming of His kingdom, the submission to and obedience of His will. The significance of this is clear. It means, to be sure, that in the fourth petition we pray not simply for bread in order that we may eat and drink, still less in order that we may use the bread for the satisfaction of our sinful desires, but in order that we may be able to hallow the name of God, to seek His kingdom, and to obey His will. "Give us bread, our Father, that we may serve and glorify Thee, and represent Thy cause in the world" -- thus we are taught to pray.

But this order teaches us something else. The statement is often made quite without reservation that in this prayer we have the promise that God's people in this world will never lack bread, will never suffer hunger, that every day their food and drink will be provided. Now in the sense that the Lord will always care for his people, and that He will provide them with the necessary means to live as His people in the world, this is true. But we should not forget that all this is strictly subservient to the purpose of God's glory, the coming of His kingdom, and the realization of His will. Scripture teaches us everywhere that we must expect suffering for righteousness' sake in the world. And this suffering may well include that the portion of our daily bread becomes very small, that we suffer hunger and want, starvation and death. The apostle Paul relates how for the kingdom of God's sake he was "in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." (II Corinthians 11:27) And the Epistle to the Hebrews mentions those who "wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented." (Hebrews 11:37) And does not the Bible forewarn us that the time shall come when we shall not be able to buy or sell, unless we receive the mark of the beast? (Revelation 13:17) It is important, therefore, that we bear in mind that we pray for our daily bread in strict subordination to the glory of God's name, the coming of His kingdom, and the realization of His will which is always good.

Turning our attention to the contents of this petition, we are at once impressed by the fact that it places the petitioner on the level of a very simple life as far as earthly things are concerned. It teaches us to ask for bread, no more. We understand, of course, that there is a figure in this term. It represents more than mere bread. We need more. Clothing and shelter and all the necessities of our earthly life are represented by "bread." But it is very evident that "our daily bread" definitely excludes whatever is above and beyond the things that are strictly necessary for our physical and earthly subsistence. One cannot very well so stretch the term bread in this petition as to include riches and luxuries. Especially in modern life we have a thousand and one things for our enjoyment: delicacies to please our taste, luxuries to make life pleasant, conveniences to render our earthly life comfortable. But these are certainly not included in the fourth petition. This is not saying that we may not have them if we are sure that our heavenly Father gave them to us, and that we may not enjoy them if we can do so with thanksgiving. But it does teach us that we may not set our heart on these things, that we may not seek them, covet them, and that, therefore, we may not ask our heavenly Father for them. Positively speaking, it teaches us that we shall seek and ask for only those things that are strictly necessary for our earthly subsistence. In the fourth petition we do not pray for riches and for an abundance of earthly goods. We do not pray for sugar and coffee, for cake and pie, for beautiful clothes, for comfortable homes and radios and pianos and automobiles. The fourth petition with its request for bread puts us on a very simple level of living: "Give us bread!"

The same idea is emphasized still further by the word that is translated "daily." Give us this day our daily bread. The Greek word that is translated by our "daily" presents a little difficulty, and there is considerable doubt as to the exact meaning of the term. The problem is that in the New Testament it occurs nowhere else. However, it may be said confidently that it does not mean daily. Some suggest that the word means "that which is present." The meaning of the prayer, then, would be "Give us this day bread for the present." But this idea is really already expressed in the words "this day." Give us this day our bread means: give us bread for the present. Others see in the composition of the original word the meaning coming or future. The Lord then would teach us to pray: "Give us this day the bread that is coming, bread for the future, for the morrow." But this would appear to be in direct conflict with the teachings of our Lord when He emphasizes that we shall not be anxious for the morrow, and that one day is quite sufficient as to its own evil. To me it seems that the word may properly be rendered by "bread that is coming to me." The prayer then means: give us this day the bread that is coming to us, i.e. the bread that is our proper portion for this particular day. Give us our own, proper, limited portion of our daily necessities. This proper portion varies. It is not always the same, nor is it the same for all. The needs of a large family with small children differ from those of an old couple. Those needs are different on a severely frosty day in January from what they are on a pleasant, warm day in June. They are not the same when we are sick as when we are in good health. Our proper portion varies according to our circumstances and position in life. And the prayer asks that our Father in heaven in His wisdom may give us that particular portion which is proper for us.

We should not overlook the further limitation of this proper portion of bodily necessities expressed in the words "this day." This is to be taken most literally and most seriously. It does not mean that we may ask for a well-stocked food cellar, a full coal bin that may carry us through the winter, or a reasonably large bank account on which we may fall back. It does not imply that we ask our Father in heaven to give us so much that we may feel secure for a year, for a month, for a week, or even for another day. It means exactly what it says, "Give us what we need for this day." In other words, the prayer teaches us to assume the attitude which the Lord exhorts His people to assume with respect to earthly things: "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto each day is the evil thereof." The morrow is not ours: for we are but children of the moment. To ask for today is sufficient. And if, as the dusk of evening settles upon our earthly life of the day, we have neither bread in the house, nor the means wherewithal to buy bread even for another day, but the Lord did provide for us in the day that has come to its close, He heard our prayer and fulfilled His word: "Give us this day our proper portion of bread."

Now the believer is taught to turn directly to his heavenly Father to ask for this proper portion of bread for this one day.

This means, first of all, that we acknowledge His sovereignty and power over all things and our own dependence on Him, and on Him alone. He is the Lord of hosts, and His kingdom ruleth over all. In whatever way, and by whatever means, and through whatever channels we may obtain our daily bread, we boast not in self, in our own ability and strength and wisdom, nor in men and an arm of flesh, but acknowledge the sovereignty of God. Let us make no mistake. This is not a prayer adapted only for the poor, who must live day by day. It is a prayer just as well for the rich. It is not meant only for those who must kneel down by their empty bread baskets every day to ask the Lord of all to fill them. It is a petition that must be sent to the throne of grace also by those who sit down by their well-supplied tables, loaded with an abundance of food. For that food is not ours. It is our heavenly Father's. He must give it to us. He prepared it. He supplied us with it. He brought it to our tables. This is true, no matter what may be our position in the world. It may seem easier for the farmer than for the industrialist to utter this prayer. For it is rather evident that God sends the rain and the sunshine, that He gives the increase and makes the corn ripen in the field. But it may appear more difficult how God brings the loaf of bread to the table of the shop worker, through all the maze of economic and industrial and commercial relationships that exist in our world. Yet the believer knows that ever over all these relationships His Father in heaven rules and that He governs them absolutely. Whether the wheels of industry shall be idle or busily spinning, whether there shall be labor for our hands or whether we shall be without employment, whether we shall be able to work and provide for ourselves and those who are dependent on us -- all these things depend not ultimately and really on us, or on the wisdom or ingenuity of man, but on the Lord our God in Christ Jesus our Savior. And the child of God is taught to acknowledge his dependence on no one but his Father in heaven when he is enjoined to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread."

Of course, this prayer presupposes that we do not strive anxiously or greedily to secure our bread in a way that is contrary to the will of God. If one would idle his time away, neglect his calling, be lazy and refuse to labor for his daily bread, and then send this petition to the throne of our Father in heaven, he would thereby tempt God, and his prayer would not be heard. Or if one accumulates riches in a way that is contrary to the will of our Father in heaven, by false dealing or usury if he is a businessman, by cutting the wages of those who are in his employ if he is an employer, by forcing his employer to raise his wages by strikes and boycotts and violence, by speculation or gambling or other illegal methods; or if one has abundance, and knows that his brother is poor, and fails to provide for him; or if he piles up his savings for a possible "rainy day" while he refuses to provide from his portion for the needs of the kingdom of God in the world -- he is a hypocrite when he kneels down to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." For this prayer surely implies that the believer would receive his daily bread only from the hand of his Father, in His own way, and, above all, in His favor.

Thus, if we have understood the real implications of this fourth petition, we will be ready, too, to acknowledge that this prayer, though it places us on the level of a very simple earthly life, and exactly because of this, would have us live on a very high spiritual level. It is not necessary any more to make special mention of the fact that the natural man, the unbeliever, the world, cannot possibly take this petition on his lips. The world is quite directly opposed to all that this prayer teaches us with respect to the attitude we are supposed to assume toward earthly things. The unbeliever does not want just bread; he is not satisfied with his portion of bread; above all, he wants more than bread for this day. He wants the world. He wants abundance. This is true not only of the rich, but also of the poor. All the strife and unrest in the world testifies to the fact that the spirit of the world is opposed to the spirit of the fourth petition. The world strives after what in our day is rather profanely styled "the more abundant life." And how could it be different? The natural man understands not the things of the kingdom of God. He does not acknowledge himself to be in the service of God with all things, to be a mere steward with respect to earthly things. He serves the world. He seeks the world. His slogan is "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." He has no hope beyond this world. He does not know the transcendent joy expressed in the confession "Thy loving kindness is better than life." Small wonder, then, that he serves Mammon. And in that service one surely cannot pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." And let us not overlook the fact that the wicked, too, eats his bread, and that he usually eats in abundance. God often gives him more of it than He gives His own children. But He gives it to him in His wrath. By the abundance of worldly goods He sets the wicked on slippery places, on which He casts them down into destruction.

Although the wicked prospered seem,
At last they vanish like a dream
And perish in a day;
Jehovah's foes shall soon appear
Like fields once fair, now brown and sear;
Like smoke they fade away.

(Psalter Number 97:3)

However, with the child of God, who has been called out of darkness into light and who lives by faith in the Lord Jesus, his crucified, risen, and exalted Redeemer, all this is principally different. For, first of all, he has been called back into the service of the living God; and so the things of this world are for him not an end in themselves, but a means to an end, the capital entrusted to him, that with it he may serve his God. He does not live to eat and to drink and to be merry, but he eats and drinks to live, and that, too, to live in the service of God. Secondly, having been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, he seeks the kingdom of God, the things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. He knows that God is not ashamed to be called his God; for He has prepared for him a city, the heavenly city that has foundations. Here, he knows, he lies in the midst of death, and in the midst of death eats his bread. But he looks forward to the glory of his risen and exalted Lord, the heavenly Jerusalem that shall come down out of heaven from his God. In that faith he knows himself to be only a sojourner, a stranger, and a pilgrim in this world. He is content to live in tents. He does not lay his foundation deep and strong, and build magnificent houses in this world. He must travel. He cannot tarry. And living in tents, having his eye fixed on the city that has foundations, he is satisfied day by day to receive that portion of his daily bread which is sufficient for him to continue the journey. And so he prays, every morning, as he pulls up his stakes to resume the journey: "Our Father in heaven, give us this day our daily bread."

Already you have understood that this petition presupposes that spiritual disposition that is expressed by the Scriptural term "contentment." The apostle Paul writes to the church in Philippi: "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11) Contentment is that spiritual virtue according to which my inner state of heart and mind is always in harmony with the will of God concerning me as realized in my earthly way. In that state I am satisfied with my lot, knowing it is from God, and that He will cause all things to work together for my good. There is an expression of contentment in the fourth petition. In it we do not ask for great things. By it we express before our Father in heaven that we shall be satisfied with the bare necessities, content to live on the level of the most simple earthly life. We declare here: "Our Father which art in heaven, if it please thee to give me more than is strictly necessary for me to continue my journey this day, I will be satisfied and receive it from Thy hand with thanksgiving." This also implies childlike confidence. I live by the day. I am not anxious for the morrow. If I have nothing left tonight, and I know not how I shall obtain breakfast tomorrow, I shall not worry, but lay me down to sleep, confident that my heavenly Father lives tomorrow as well as today, and that He will care for me. "Give us this day our daily bread, and we shall not be anxious about the morrow."

Realizing, however, that this is the spiritual disposition required to utter this petition in spirit and truth, we at the same time feel that we are still far from that spiritual perfection. How carnal we often are! How we, too, are inclined to seek the things that are below! How little of the pilgrim attitude becomes manifest in our lives! How often we murmur against the will and way of the Lord! And how little do we evince of that spirit of childlike confidence that expects all good things from the God of our salvation! Well may we conclude also this meditation on the Lord's Prayer with the humble request: "Lord, give us grace to pray, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' Amen."